But, according to Mark Barnes, fire chief for Oshtemo Township and president of the Kalamazoo County Fire Chiefs' Association, that isn't always the case in Kalamazoo County, because dispatchers are overburdened.

Barnes and other Kalamazoo County officials made the argument Thursday that consolidating the county's 911 dispatch operations is about much more than saving money -- it's also about providing a reasonable level of service and safety to citizens.

The report shows the largest areas of concern to be with township fire agencies, which have an inadequate number of dispatchers supporting their calls for service, according to national safety standards, and an inability to communicate with one another because they utilize different radio frequencies. The report suggests that the time to consolidate dispatch operations is now, since the Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety's dispatch center can house all current five units and accommodate technology upgrades for at least the near future.

During Thursday's meeting, Barnes recounted a 911 call after an Oct. 16 single-car crash that injured the driver near the intersection of West Main and Ninth streets. When the driver phoned 911, the call was rerouted from the Kalamazoo County Sheriff's Office dispatch center, which has two dispatchers handling calls for 11 fire agencies and nine police departments, to another dispatch center. But instead of the call being answered, it was routed back to the county.

Luckily, Barnes said, first responders were on the scene before the call ended up getting through to a dispatcher.

The Kimball report, first made public Oct. 11, estimates the initial annual cost of a consolidated 911 dispatch system would be double the $3.59 million that the five dispatch units together spend currently, although some of that involves one-time startup costs and increased efficiencies created by consolidation are expected to reduce expenses in later years. The consultant recommends a staff of 72 people, compared to the 46 currently employed by the five dispatch centers separately, including dedicated dispatch supervisors who do not have other duties.

Some at Thursday's meeting expressed concerns about the consultant's recommendation for a new phone surcharge, which could reach 42 cents per cell phone, landline phone or device that can access 911 with approval from the Kalamazoo County Board of Commissioners, or as much as $3 with approval by county voters, to cover the cost of 911 consolidation.

The report suggests that a $3 surcharge would be optimum, as it would cover the one-time cost of consolidation, provide enough revenue to save about $1.8 million a year for future technology upgrades, and cover labor costs for additional dispatchers and supervisors. Dispatchers would be paid a salary equal to the median compensation of the highest paying dispatch center among the five, according to the report.

The report estimates 232,807 devices will qualify for the surcharge.
That's nearly one for every resident in Kalamazoo County, which had an
estimated population of 252,580 in 2012, according to the U.S. Census
Bureau. At that number of devices, a 42-cent surcharge would generate
bout $1.17 million annually, while the maximum $3 surcharge would bring
in about $8.38 million. If it imposes a surcharge, the county would also
begin receiving a portion of the 19-cent surcharge the state already
collects.

Portage Mayor Pete Strazdas, who when the report was released last week said consolidation should both save money and provide for more efficient service, noted during Thursday's meeting that family with four to five phones would pay about $140 to $180 annually with a $3 surcharge.

Of Michigan’s 83 counties, 75 currently have some form of consolidated
911 dispatch, according to the Kimball report. Of those, 66 have a phone surcharge, while 19 have a special property tax levy dedicated for 911 dispatch. Kalamazoo County currently has neither a surcharge nor a dedicated dispatch millage.

Jeff Hadley, chief of the Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety, said Oshtemo Township's Barnes "hit the nail on the head" when he said consolidation is about far more than saving money.

"As Chief Barnes so eloquently said, when people hear consolidation, they say, 'How much will we save?'" Hadley said. "Savings may or may not happen, but the anemic services (township fire agencies) are getting now are just unacceptable."

When asked what benefit consolidation would have for KDPS and residents of the city of Kalamazoo, Hadley noted that the state could soon require new dispatch technology that can receive texts, video, pictures and other communications, and the cost of that could be shared among the dispatching units instead of each individually.

"This isn’t icing on the cake or bells and whistles," Hadley said of a consolidated 911 dispatch system. "This is a fundamental service provision for the public. We have an obligation to the first responders that they have the best dispatching capabilities available so they can be safe, communicate and deliver services."

None of the agencies involved is being asked to take action on consolidating 911 operations at this time, although Kalamazoo County Administrator Peter Battani said he hopes to organize a meeting of the Consolidated Dispatch Steering Committee within the next few weeks. At that time, the five units may decide which, if any, want to proceed with consolidation, then work on a governance agreement on how to manage it, he said.

The consultant's report assumes all five agencies with dispatch operations will choose to participate, although it contains contingency plans in case one or more opt out. If an agency doesn't utilize the consolidated dispatch, its residents would still be required to pay any surcharge that is instituted, but that revenue would be refunded to their local government.

"I want to give people some time to breath and digest the report," Battani said of the next steps. "But, we will be meeting soon. We don't want to let a lot of time go by without taking action."

Alex Mitchell covers county government and taxes for the Kalamazoo Gazette. Email him at amitche5@mlive.com. Follow him on Twitter.